SDP to support motion for no-confidence vote in PM

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidency on Monday evening decided to support a motion for no confidence-vote in Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic, which the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) has announced, according to unofficial reports from the major Opposition party.

The sources from the SDP leadership said that they would support the procedure as any other stance would mean that the SDP supported Culture Minister Zlatko Hasanbegovic (HDZ), Health Minister Dario Nakic (HDZ) and other ministers in the Oreskovic cabinet whose work has to date been criticised by this main Opposition party.

HDZ leader Tomislav Karamarko, who is serving as the First Deputy PM and whose relations with PM Oreskovic and the other Deputy PM Bozo Petrov has become strained over a scandal caused by business relations between his wife Ana and his friend Josip Petrovic, a MOL lobbyist, is expected to explain the HDZ position on Oreskovic's impeachment at a news conference at 1030 hrs Tuesday.

The HDZ club of parliamentary deputies is due to launch the procedure for no-confidence vote in Oreskovic also on Tuesday, and the motion could be added to the parliament's agenda next day.

The government has an eight-day deadline to express its opinion on the motion, which could be then put to the vote in the 151-seat legislature on 17 June at the earliest.

A deadline for lawmakers to take a vote of no-confidence in Deputy PM Karamarko expires on 18 June. This motion has been initiated by the SDP, and has been in the meantime supported by Petrov's Bridge party.

In the event that the parliament votes no confidence in PM Oreskovic before 18 June, this means that the entire government is toppled, which will make the motion for no-confidence in Karamarko pointless.

In this scenario, a new majority should be regrouped in the parliament and a new PM-Designate should be sought. If no new premier is appointed within 30 days after that, the president has to dissolve the current legislature and call early parliamentary elections.

Beirut (dpa) - Syrian government forces and their allies advanced deeper into the shrinking rebel-held enclave in eastern Aleppo on Wednesday, seizing the Old City, while demanding the armed opposition groups leave the area.